Although manufactured and used over 350 years ago, many of these tokens were issued with pretty much the same form of English as we use nowadays, with a few notable exceptions to their alphabet and spelling, e.g.

The letter “U” is always represented by the letter “V”, e.g. DVBLIN

There was no letter “J” in their alphabet – the letter “I” was used instead, IOHN (for JOHN) OR IOSEPH (for JOSEPH)

The letter “I” was also interchangeable with the letter “Y”, e.g. BALLY or BALLI

In addition to the above, spelling had not yet become standardised, so placenames and personal names are sometimes recorded in a number of forms, e.g. CORK and CORKE are the same place and no single version was deemed correct at the time – the placenames and tradesmens’ names only needed to be understood by the locals. Perhaps some represent the phonetically correct spelling according to local accents at the time.

Other examples include:

GALLAWAY, GALLWAY

LIMRICK, LYMRICK

WAXFORD

All thirty-two counties issued them except Mayo; Co’s Clare, Fermanagh and Leitrim have only one each whereas the city of Dublin issued one hundred and fifty – about 20% of the entire range. It is not easy to list them by county since several towns or cities now occupy ground in more than one county, e.g. Belfast is in both Antrim and Down, Limerick is in both Limerick and Clare, and Athlone occupies land in both Westmeath and Roscommon.

For the purpose of listing them here, I shall remain faithful to the original listing by placename

Most collectors are familiar with this, so a change might only be confusing.

Little is known about who issued them, since most were just small traders and people like them usually don’t get a mention in history. Where possible, I have added scraps of information gleaned from local histories and local archaeological socieites. These notes appear as purple-coloured italic text.

ANNAMOE (Co. WICKLOW)

Meldrum, Robert

Obverse: ROBART . MELDRVM = A lion rampant crowned.

Reverse: OF . ANAMO … = 1D.

Only one known example – ex-Lionel Lawford-Fletcher collection (now in British Museum)

ANTRIM (Co. ANTRIM)

Bethel, Matthew

Obverse: MATTHEW . BETHELL = An ornamented knot. 1671.

Reverse: POST . MSTR . IN . ANTRIM = M. B. 1D.

Crawford, Bryce

Obverse: BRYCE . CRAFORD = 1657. 1D.

Reverse: ANTRVM . MARCHT = B . C. A merchant’s mark.

Crawford, William

Obverse: WILLIAM . CRAFORD = A merchant’s mark.

Reverse: IN . ANTRVM . MERCHANT = 1656. Within a heart I, above it D.

Crawford, William

A variety, better engraved, having the date 1657, and the initial letters W . C.

Another, similar, reading BELFAST. This and the preceding are curious, from the circumstance of being struck on French doubles Turnois, temp. Louis XIII. ; part of the former legend is still visible on both sides.

Obverse: IOHN . BVSH . BELFAST (in four lines across the field).

Reverse: 1D. (filling the whole field).

Chalmers, James

Obverse: IAMES . CHALMERS . IN = Arms of the Chalmers family quarterly, first and fourth a mullet ; second and third a fess checky.

Lockhart was the son-in-law of G.MicCartnay (another 17th C token issuer from Belfast)

Martin, George

Obverse: GEORGE . MARTIN . OF = R . M. within a merchant’s mark.

Reverse: BELFAST . MARCHAN = 1D. A bell. 1666.

George Martin was elected Sovereign (Mayor) of Belfast in 1649 but, due to the political difficulties of the Great Rebellion in Ireland and the Civil War in England, he never actually took up office. He refused to billet Confederate troops, who then pillaged his house, seized his goods and confiscated his estates.

Martin, George

Another token of George Martin’s, very similar to the above, is dated 1637, and has the initials G . M. on the merchant’s mark. This is a remarkable date, there being no other token prior to 1648 and in Ireland none earlier than 1653. The date is most probably an error for 1657.

Obverse: GEORGE . MARTIN . OF = G . M. within a merchant’s mark.

Reverse: BELFAST . MARCHAN = 1D. A bell. 1637.

Martin, Josiah

Obverse: IOSIAH . MARTIN = Unknown.

Reverse: IN . BELFAST . 1657 = Unknown.

MacCartnay, George

Obverse: GEO . MICCARTNAY = G . M.

Reverse: OF . BELLFAST = 1656

MacCartnay, George

Obverse: GEORGE . MICARTNEY = G . M. 1D.

Reverse: OF . BELLFAST = 1657.

Moore, William

Obverse: WILLIAM . MOORE . IN = A ship.

Reverse: BELFAST . MARCHANT = 1D. A bell.

Sinklar, Alexander

Obverse: ALEXANDER . SINKLAR = A ship.

Reverse: IN . BELFAST = A . S. 1D. 1657.

Smith, Henry

Obverse: HENRY . SMITH . IN = H . S. 1D.

Reverse: BELFAST . MERCHT = Arms of the Smith family : a saltire, a crescent in chief and a trefoil in base.

Smith, William

Obverse: WILLIAM . SMITH = W . S.

Reverse: IN . BELFAST = 1D.

William Smith was a wealthy merchant in Belfast who died in 1684 and left his son (David) the then huge sum of £3,600. David Smith was Sovereign (Mayor) of Belfast in 1699 and, again, in 1700.

Smith, William

Obverse: WILLIAM . SMITH = W . S.

Reverse: OF . BELFAST = 1657.

Speire, Hugh

Obverse: HVGH . SPEIRE . MARCHNT = H . S. A merchant’s mark.

Reverse: IN . BELFAST . HIS PENNY = The same as the obverse.

Steward, John

Obverse: IOHN . STEWARD . OF = A ship.

Reverse: BELFAST . 1656 = 1D. on a bell I. S.

Stewart, John

Obverse: IOHN . STEWART . HIS . 1D . 1657 = A bell I . S.

Reverse: THE . ARMES . OF . BALFAST = Arms : a ship.

Whitside, Robert

Obverse: ROBERT . WHITSIDE . IN = A ship.

Reverse: BELLFAST . MARCHANT = 1D. R. W. 1667.

The bell and ship on the Belfast tokens are the bearings in the Arms of the Borough.

BELLEMANOGH (Co. ANTRIM)

It is thought that this name refers to Ballymena, Co Antrim.

Adare, William

Obverse: WILLIAM . ADARE = A full-blown rose.

Reverse: IN . BELLIMINOCH = W . D . A. 1.

Boyd, Robert

Obverse: ROBART . BOYD . MAR = A squirrel seated on a mound.

Reverse: IN . BELLEMANOGH 1D.

Harper, John

Obverse: IOHN . HARPER. MARCHT = I . H. over a harp.

Reverse: IN . BELEMENOCKE = 1D.

Wallas, John

Obverse: IOHN . WALLAS . MARC = 1671. 1D.

Reverse: IN . BELLEMENOCK = I . W.

BELLINALEE (Co. LONGFORD)

Dolphin, The

Obverse: AT . THE . DOLPHIN = A dolphin.

Reverse: IN . BELLINALEE = P . C.

BELTURBET (Co. CAVAN)

Hares, Robert

Obverse: ROBERT . HARES . AT = A pair of shears.

Reverse: BELLTVRBEATT = 1D.

Harrison, Richard

Obverse: RICHARD . HARRISON = A man and horse.

Reverse: BELTVRBAT . POSTMR = 1D.

BIRR (KING’S Co.)

Archer, Marcus

Obverse: MARCVS . ARCHER. OF = Coat-of-arms. 1D.

Reverse: BIRR . MARCHANT = M . N . A.

Archer, Marcus

A variety of above is countermarked HAPNEY, and probably passed for a halfpenny.

Reverse: IN . BOYLE . 1678 = Arms : three bezants, on a chief four others.

BROUGHSHANE (Co. ANTRIM)

Andrew, Samuel

Obverse: SAMVEL . ANDREW . MRT = 1D. An ornamented knot.

Reverse: IN . BROVGHSHAIN = S . A. Merchant’s mark.

CALEDON (Co. TYRONE)

Speare, John

Obverse: IOHN . SPEARE . OF = I . S. 1D.

Reverse: CALLEDON . TANER = A dog.

CARLOW (Co. CARLOW)

Masters, John

Robert Malcomson’s engraving of John Masters’ penny token (Carlow, 1657)

Writing for , Robert Malcomson described this penny token as being “of brass, weighing about 25 grains, is the only one of the Carlow issue which bears a date. I presume it to have been one of the earliest in the series, though it is not now the most rare.”

The issuer was Portreve of Carlow in 1660, and is named in “The Sufferings of the Quakers” as having caused to be apprehended in that year twelve Quakers for meeting together in the fear of the Lord, and he committed them to prison till the next Session without examination or Mittinius. They were afterwards fined £320.

The Portreve resided “within ye gate,” and his name is returned in that district of the town now representing Dublin Street in a schedule to an applotment of vestry cess made October 13, 1669, in which he is assessed at 10s., being the highest amount charged upon any individual is the list.

A Portleve was “a bailiff or mayor charged with keeping the peace and with other duties in a port or market borough at this time in Ireland”

Moore, Thomas

Robert Malcomson’s engraving of Thomas Moore’s penny token (Carlow)

Obverse: THOMAS . MOORE . OF = A stag.

Reverse: CARLO . POSTMASTER = 1D.

The name of Moore appears in the vestry assessment of 1669, but this particular issuer is not named. he name of Thomas Moore does not appear in the vestry assessment of 1669, on which, however, we find a 4? John Moore” residing ” without ye gate, and a ” Peter Moore,” an inhabitant of Tullow-street.

Postmasters’ tokens are also known for Antrim, Belburbet and Youghall at this time.

Frederick Haughton, from whose cabinet this token was taken, informed Robert Malcomson (On Merchants’ Tokens Struck in the Towns of Carlow, Bagnalstown and Tullow, Journal of the Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, Vol. 1, No. 2 (1869), pp. 244-254) that ” curiously enough they are all three from a different die, although after the same pattern ; the number of strings in the harp vary in each.”

By a charter, dated April 19, 1613, James I. granted certain privileges to the inhabitants of the town. By the charter the Corporation was to consist of “the portrieve, free burgesses, and commonalty of the borough of Carlow.” The privileges granted were confirmed by Charles II. by a charter made in 1675, changing the style of the Corporation to that of “The Sovereign, free burgesses, and communitie of the borough of Catherlough.”

James II. seized to himself all the liberties and privileges of the town, by a decree of his Court of Exchequer, of his own “special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion” ; the charter granted by the late King was abrogated, and another granted in its stead, bearing date February 24, 4th year of reign Jas. II. By it the King did “make, nominate, and contstitute Garrett Quigley, merchant, to be time first and modern soveraigne of the said burrough.” John Quigley (probably a near relative of the sovereign) was also nominated in the charter Town Clerk for life.

The Quigleys were of a Munster stock, hailing from county Tipperary. “Garret Quigley in Lisma lin 1659” is the inscription on a token, quoted in Dr. A. Smith’s Catalogue, communicated to the Royal Irish Academy in 1849. Whether this was the same individual as the Garrett Quigley of Carlo can only be matter of conjecture; but if he emigrated from Lismalin and settled here, he must have done so prior to 1669 (when he was named in the vestry documents).

He appears to have resided in Dublin Street, and, judging from the amount of his assessment, probably, occupied one of the best positions in the town. He is said to have taken away the oak timber from the castle of Carlow, and with it roofed the houses at the Market Cross during the year of his reign over the town.

According to tradition, “finding the castle of Carlow in ruins since Oliver [Cromwell]’s time, he took away the oak timber, and with it roofed the houses at the Market Cross of Carlow.”

In 1693, in the vestry records of the parish church, we find his name appearing as a donor of £10 towards the “repayre of the church,” which is one-third part of the entire amount raised by the parish. Malcomson stated “the family does not now exist in Carlow.”

Renolds, Edward

Robert Malcomson’s engraving of Edward Renolds’ penny token (Carlow)

Obverse: EDWARD . RENOLDS = Arms of the Reynolds family : a lion rampant between three escallops.

Reverse: OF . CARLO . MARCHANT 1D.

In 1675, King Charles II. granted a new charter to the borough of Catherlough, in which His Ma jesty appointed Robert Browne, Esq., to be sovereign, and in which he named “Edward Reynolds, gentleman,” in company with Sir John Povey, Knight, Chief Justice of the Court of Chief Place in the Kingdom of Ireland, Sir William Temple, Bart., John Nicholas, Esq., Robert Browne, Esq., John Warren, Esq., Robert Curtis, Michael Headey gent., Samuel Blackshaw, gent, Sir Thomas Butler, Bart., Sir John Davellier, Knight, Henry Berkeley, Esq., and John Tench, gent., to be the first and modern twelve free burgesses of the said borough, Mr. Reynolds ranking fifth on the list.

At the time of granting of this new charter he filled the office of deputy-portreve under the charter of James I. He afterwards became sovereign of the borough, and is supposed to have died between 1686 and 1694. A Portleve was “a bailiff or mayor charged with keeping the peace and with other duties in a port or market borough at this time in Ireland”

Mr. Reynolds succeeded Mr. Browne as sovereign of the borough. His last recorded attendance at vestry was on the 26th of April, 1686; and as we miss his name from “An Account of those that hath seats in Church of Carlo, and paid their money for, to Samuel Keeler and Henry Carter, Church wardens for the Parish in the year 1694,” but find therein the name of “Mrs. Mary Reynolds” (probably his widow), we presume him to have died in the interval between the years 1686 and 1694.

Reynalds, Thomas

Robert Malcomson’s engraving of Thomas Reynald’s penny token (Carlow)

Obverse: THO . REYNALDS = Arms of the Reynolds family.

Reverse: OF . CARLOW . TANER = 1D.

Robert Malcomson states “Of Thomas Reynalds I have no information beyond what his token conveys, that he followed the business of tanner, a trade which, until a very recent period, was a lucrative and important one in the town of Carlow.”

CARRICKMACROSS (Co. MONAGHAN)

Reverse: WHEN . YOV . PLEASE . ILE (CHAINGE . THES in a second circle), in the centre 1D.

W . B. are the initials, and the arms are those of William Barton, Esq ., who rented the barony at the period.

CARRICK-ON-SUIR (Co. TIPPERARY)

Daye, Philip

Obverse: PHILIP . DAYE . MARCHANT = A stag trippant in a shield.

Reverse: OF . CARRICKMASHVRE = 1D.

CASHEL (Co. TIPPERARY)

Boyton, Peter

Aquilla Smith’s engraving of Peter Boyton’s penny token (Cashel)

Obverse: PEETER . BOYTON = A harp.

Reverse: OF . CASHILL . MARCHN = 1D. with two stars of five points.

Peter Boyton is one of the subscribing witnesses to the will of Edward Mihill, dated February 6, 1663 (see hereafter). The name appears amongst the names of Common Council and Aldermen appointed in 1687 by the charter of James II., and amongst those in the marriage registry of about that date. In the old cathedral upon the rock there is a small shield, upon which are the arms of Boyton, three spur-rowels, with the name of Boyton in old English letters. There is a townland of the name of Boytonrath within a few miles of the city of Cashell.

Kearney, Edmond

Obverse: EDMOND . KEARNEY = A plain cross, with a pellet in each quarter.

Reverse: CASHELL . MARCT = E . K . 1D., with four small annulets.

Kearney, Edmond

Obverse: EDMOND . KEARNEY = A plain cross, with a rose in each quarter.

Obverse: EDMOND . KEARNEY = A plain cross, with a pellet in each quarter.

Reverse: CASSHELL . MARCT = E . K. 1D., with four pellets (the D over the I is reversed).

The issuer was one of the Common Council appointed under the charter above mentioned, and by the same charter two of the same name were appointed Aldermen, and three of the same name Common Councillors, so that evidently the family was of some importance at the time.The issuer was most probably connected with the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashell, David Kearney, who was descended from a family whose name was long honourably connected with Cashell, and who was born in 1568. It is probable that from this dignitary the crozier which belonged to St. Patrick came into possession of the Kearney family, in whose hands the precious relic remained until handed over to the late Most Rev. Dr. Stattery, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashell ; and it now constitutes a part of the crozier in the possession of the present Archbishop. The relic, the authenticity of which can be proved by legal evidence, conferred upon the family of its possessors the proud title of “Kearney Crux.” Monuments to various members of the family in Cashell attest to the importance of its status in the seventeenth century.

Mihill, Edward

Aquilla Smith’s engraving of Edward Mihill’s penny token (Cashel)

Obverse: EDWARD . MIHILL = A cathedral.

Reverse: OF . CASHALL = E . M. 1D. and five stars of five points.

The issuer is believed to have been a retired trooper of Cromwell’s, and his will appears in the district registry of the Probate Court, Waterford, and in it he bequeaths all his properly to his wife, and appoints her sole executrix. It is dated February 6, 1663, and probate was granted June 10, 1663.

Neve, John

Aquilla Smith’s engraving of John Neve’s penny token (Cashel)

Obverse: IOHN . NEVE = Arms of the family : on a cross five fleurs-de-lys.

Reverse: IN . CASSHELL = I . N. 1D.

The name of John Neve, sen., is found as witness to a will of John Neve, dated 1667, and a John Neaves was buried February 28, 1672. The will of John Neve, dated December 25, 1667, is in existence, and is supposed to be the will of the issuer ; and the family continued to reside in Cashell until the year 1820, when it became extinct by death.

Peene, John

Aquilla Smith’s engraving of John Peene’s penny token (Cashel)

Obverse: IOHN . PEENE = The Arms of the Neve family, as above.

Reverse: IN . CASSHELL = I . P. 1D. and two cinquefoils.

The token is very rare, and the name has not been found at present in the documents or archives of Cashell. There are poor people of the name of Pyne in Cashell, who are probably descended fiom the issuer.

Robert Prince was City Treasurer ; there are several entries in the old Corporation Books in which his name is mentioned: in 1672, Mr. Robert Prince to pay £5 to the Town Clerk. The following order was made May 3rd, 1673, and is interesting of itself: ” A tanckard of the value of £10 voted to Richard Melsam, late Mayor, as a signal and remarkable token of the Citties thanks for his good service in his Mayoralty, more particularly for his strong opposing of the seditious rebels pretending right to the King’s sword, and to the Mayorial Jurisdiction and government of the said Citty;” and it was ordered ” that Mr. Robert Prince forthwith pay unto Mr. Joseph Demors hand the sum of ten pounds ster. afores1 for the said use,” this was no doubt ” Darner” of whose riches fabulous stories are told, and who built the Court at Shronell; he was a common councilman of Cashel, and lent money to the Corporation.

June 12th, 1677 “Ordered that Mr. Robert Prince should have a lease of that stone slated house, situate in the middle row in Cannafee street, opposite the water pype.

28th Sept., 1678 “Ordered that Mr. Robert Prince doe pay out of this half years rent, ending at Michaelmas 1781, to ye Lord Lieutenants Serjeants at Mace, the sum of fifteen pounds sixteen shillings and eight pence, and seven shillings and sixpence to Thomas Robinson, Esq., Mayor of this Citty, for money expended by him for their treatment.

7th May, 1680. Thomas Meagher was at a former meeting ordered to be paid by Mr. Robert Prince the sum of £1. 10. 0, ” which said sureity the so Mr. Prince upon some reasons best known to himself hath hitherto delayed to pay,” ordered ” that it be paid without any further delay or pretence whatsoever.” “

15th December, 1683. “£50 to be raised in order to the renewing of the Charter.” Robert Prince, Alderman, lent the amount to the Corporation.

Robert Prince died in 1686 ; the following entry of his burial is taken from the Parish Registry: “Robert Prince was buried at Se. John’s, May 10th, 1686.”

Reverse: The Fruiterers’ Arms. CHARLEVILE counterstruck across the field.

CLARE COUNTY

White, David

Obverse: CLARE = A castle.

Reverse: LIMERICK = A castle.

In Clare, there is only one known issuer, a merchant called David White. Interestingly, the name of David White, a Limerick merchant, appears among those transplanted from Limerick during the Cromwellian Plantation. Following the Cromwellian settlement, new settlers had replaced the pre-1641 Limerick merchant families. These were original Old English Catholic merchants and were forbidden by law to live in walled towns, who then settled in Ennis.

One such family were the Whites. This family first came to public attention when James II appointed a man called David White as the Provost, or Portreve of Ennis, while Andrew White, also a merchant, became one of 12 burgesses who together with the provost, elected the two members to represent the borough in Parliament. David White issued both half-penny and penny trade tokens.